Improvement in cigar-machines



E. I. FISK.

Cigar Machine. No. 51,578.

Patented Dec. 19, 1865.

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

IMPROVEMENT lN CIGAR-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,578, dated December19,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARLS I. FIsK, of South Byron, in the county ofGenesee and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Making Oigars and 1 do hereby declare thatthe following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved machine; Fig. 2, aplan;Fig. 3, a vertical section inQline a0 a", Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a view of thedevice for extending the rollers; Fig. 5, a view showing the arrangementof the rollers and cones; Fig. 6, a view of one of the flexible disksresting over the ends of the rollers and the cones, for forming theconical end of the cigar; Fig. 7, an enlarged view representing therelative position of the four cones that form the conical end of thecigar; Fig. 8, a plan of the sections forming the follower detached.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My improved machine is intended for cutting the tobacco from the mass,carrying it downward between rollers, where it is rolled into form andwrapped, all by one operation.

As represented in the drawings, A is a frame of any desirableconstruction, on which is situated a hopper, B, for holding the mass oftobacco from which the cigars are formed. This hopper is enlarged orcontracted laterally by means of an adjustable side, 0, operatedpreferably by a screw, to, passing through the side of the frame, andthe side is held in place at any position by means of gage-screws b b.

In the front end of the hopper is situated a vertically -acting gate, D,operated up and down by a lever, E, pivoted on one side of the center,as shown at c, the limit to which said gate rises being governed by astrap, u, having adjustingholes, through any of which passes a screw,1;. To the bottom of this gate is secured a knife, (I, which cutsagainst a similar knife, 6, at the base of the hopper, Fig.3; and inorder to produce a shearing cut I make that edge of the gate next thepivot c concave or hollowing for a distance, as shown at f, Fig. 1,which allows that side of the gate to be depressed as it is forced down.Before or at the 'moment the cut is completed, however, the

gate assumes its horizontal position again, so

as to hold the tobacco that is cut off evenly in place, as willpresently be described.

Outside the gate D is situated a slide, F,

Fig. 3, which has at its bottom a projection, g, projecting under thegate in such a manner as to form a depression or cavity, h, between itand the end of the gate, of sufficient size to receive the necessaryamount of tobacco to form a cigar. The ends of the slide rest in grooves2' i, or equivalent, in the sides of the hopper, to keep it in place inrising and fall- On the back of the slide, at suitable distances apart,are two or more spring wires or rods, G G, substantially of the formrepresentedthat is, bent so as to form ends is 7c, projecting inwardthrough holes in the slide and resting against the back of the gate, andprovided with inclosed shoulders I l, which, in the downward movement ofthe slide, strike a ledge, m, of the bed and force the wires or rodsinward. The upward movement of the slide is limited by a stop, 12,against which a pin or pins, 0, or equivalent, from the slide strike.The elasticity of the wires or rods G Gr may be produced by means ofspringsp p throwing such wires or rods outward, or by any desirablearrangement. The back of the gate D is provided, at positionscorrespondingavith the Wires or rods G, with holes q q, into which, whenthe parts assume the proper position, the ends it of the wires drop, aswill be presently described.

In the bottom of the hopper is situated a follower, made up of two ormore sections, HH, 2, 3, and S, running'longitudinally, each one beingprovided with a suitable spring, 1', in the rear, that connects it withan upright rock-frame, I, jointed or hinged at s and connected at itstop, by means of a connectingrod, K, with the lever E, which has alateral as well as a vertical action, by being jointed to aswing-fulcrum, L, or other suitable connection.

At a little distance below the joint 8 a connecting-rod, t, is securedto the rock-frame I, its opposite extremity connecting in like mannerwith the end of a board, M, resting in an inclined position on thefollower H H and against the rock-frame.

To the rock-frame is hinged a leaf, N, projecting inward and downward inan inclined position, its angle being gaged by means of a gage-screw, w,screwing into the rock-frame, and against which it rests.

,The action of this portion of my machine above described is as follows:The mass of tobaccois placed in the hopper, in front of the follower H Hand board M and beneath the end of the leaf N. Then the lateral actionof the lever E, as indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 2, throws therock-frame I backward, the leaf upward, and the follower forward, asshown by black lines, Fig. 3. This, of course, will force a quantity ofthe tobacco into the cavity h sufficient to fill it. Then the downwardaction of the lever (red lines, Fig. 1) will cut this tobacco from themain mass, securely retaining it in the cavity. As soon as the holes q qof the back of the gate come opposite the ends 70 7c of the Wires Grsaid ends are forced into them by means of the shoulders l l strikingagainst the ledge m and yielding sufficiently to pass. The slide F isthen forced down with the gate through the opening j in the bed, tillfinally the pin or pins 0 strike on top the ledge m and (the ends isstill holding in the holes q) open the slide, as indicated by red lines,Fig. 3, so as to discharge the tobacco between the rollers, which willpresently be described. On the raising of the gate again the slide isdrawn up with it till the shoulders lrise above the ledge m, when theslide is freed from the gate, and the latter rises still higher to allowthe tobacco to fill again. The opposite lateral motion of the lever Efrom that before described (red lines, Fig. 2) throws the operatingparts of the hopper into the position indicated by red lines, thefollower being drawn back so as to allow the tobacco to fall down infront of it, the board M being raised and thrown forward to force themass forward and the end of the leaf N thrown downward so as to force itdownward. The tobacco is thus placed in the best position to be carriedinto the cavity h. The action of the parts H M N I is of the greatestimportance, and their combination an essential feature of my invention.

By making the follower in sections H H, held by springs, as beforedescribed, not only is the necessary elasticity produced, but eachsection acts independently of the other, thus insuring a better pressingaction on the tobacco.

In the lower part of the frame, beneath the gate and slide, is situatedthe apparatus for rolling and wrapping the cigars. A suitable frame isprovided, made in two parts, 0 and O, hinged together at y by suitablestraps z z, or in any equivalent manner, so that the upper part may beturned back, as indicated by red lines, Fig. 3. The frame rests on anincline backward, as indicated, so that when the upper portion isreleased it will fall back of its own weight. In each half 0 of theframe are mounted two rollers for forming the cigar, resting in bearingsa a, or'equivalent. These rollers are made of the length of two cigars,

being formed of two sections, 1? P, divided in the center, and thesesections are made to expand or separate horizontally by means of acircular coupling, b, fastened at one end to one of the sections, whilethe opposite end slides freely but closely over the other section. Inthis manner it will be perceived that the rollers can at any time belengthened or shortened to adapt them to forming cigars of varyinglengths. In order to allow this horizontal adjustment of the rollers,the bearings a a of the moving sections 1? rest on slides O of the frame0, as clearly represented in Figs. 4 and 5. The couplings b are madeswelling or convex, as shown at at, so as to be of the largest diameterin the center, for a double purposeviz., to form theouter or lightingend of the cigar (two being formed at once, as will be presentlydescribed) of smaller diameter than the body thereof, and to bring theperipheries of the rollers in contact with the middle, so as to preventthe wrapper from clinging to the rollers and running through when thesame is started. In order still further to make the cigars small at theouter or lighting end, a band, 2, may pass around the centers of the twovertical back rollers, as shown in Fig. 3. This accomplishes the desiredeffect by cutting off the angle between said rollers, so that thetobacco cannot enter there. The band also prevents the wrapper frompassing through when started. In order to separate the upper and lowerrollers to a greater or less degree, to form cigars of differentdiameters, a gage, f, or equivalent, rests in the lower frame, 0, Fig.3, against which strikes a tread-lever, Q, by which the rollers areclosed together. It will be seen that the desired effect will beproduced by adjusting the screw out or in.

Each roller is provided with a crank, g, at one end, the whole fourcranks connecting with a single cylindrical head, R, that forms thehandle for operating the rollers. The bearings h h of these cranks, withthe head, are about the same distance apart as the axes of the rollers,so that the whole will operate easily. This device for operating therollers is very simple and effective, for it enables me to dispense withthe gearing, which is not only expensive, but difficult to connect andoperate where the rollers have constantly to be thrown apart to admitand remove the cigars.

At each end of the rollers are situated four cones, S S S S, of suitablesize for forming the conical end of the cigar. Cones have before beenemployed in connection with rollers for this purpose, but so far as I amaware have always been used with their apexes next the end of therollers.

An especial feature of my invention consists in reversing thisarrangement by placing the cones with their apexes outward, or withtheir bases next the ends of the rollers. The advan* tages of thisarrangement are as follows: First, in the old method but two cones canbe em ployed-one above and one below-there being no space for any more.Therefore the tobacco forming the taper end of the cigar can escapelaterally, and it is difficult to keep it in place. In my device fourcones can be employed, thus perfectly inclosing the end of the cigar sothat it cannot escape. Second, in the old arrangement the greatestmotion of the cones is at the outer or base end. This gives the greatestaction in wrapping the cigar at the tip, where it should be the least.By my device I obviate this difficulty by giving the least action at thetip and the greatest at the base of the conical part of the cigar, sothat the wrapper is drawn over the taper gradually and uniformly. Theseadvantages are manifest. The cones rest and turn on bearings 70 k, thatadjust up and down in the frame 0 0, bein g retained at any position byset-screws Z 1. Thus the cones may be separated or adjusted togetherexactly as desired to bear upon the end of the cigar.

It is obvious that the cones maybe employed, if desired, with therollers of a proper length to form only a single instead a doublelengthed cigar. I do not confine myself to the exact arrangement shown.

In order to keep the wrapperfrom catching between the ends of the mainrollers and the cones, guards n n are employed, filling the angularspace, as clearly represented.

Between the ends of the upper and lower rollers and cones I insert diskspp, of thin leather or equivalent, revolving easily on bearings q q, asshown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 6. The object of these is to coverthejoint at the end of the rollers and between the cones, so that thetobacco will not catch, clog, nor escape.

The operation of the parts above described is so obvious as hardly torequire description. The tobacco from above falls between the rollers,where the action forms it into a roll (red lines, Fig. 5) of sufficientlength to form two cigars by cutting it in the middle. The wrapper isinserted between the rollers, so as readily to wind, and is guided byhand.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination and arrangement of the gate D and slide F, the formerprovided with the holes q q and the latter with the wires G G and pins 00, and employed in connection with the ledge m, substantially as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of the sectional springfollower H H, rock-frame I,board M, and leaf N, arranged and operating substantially as and for thepurpose herein set forth.

3. The rollers P P, having an enlargement or swell, d, in the center,and made to extend by means of the couplings b, the whole arranged,combined, and operating substantially as herein set forth.

4. Connecting the cranks g g g g with a single head or handle, B, whenthe same are used in combination with the rollers P P, substantially asset forth.

5. In combination with the cones S S, the bearings 70 7t and set-screwsl l, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. The flexible disks pp, in combination with rollers P P, orequivalent, and the cones S S, substantially as described.

. E. I. FISK. Witnesses:

SYLVANUS W. FISK, A. MURRAY FIsK.

